Process for production of fermented milk, and fermented milk

Abstract

Fermented milk having a satisfactory level of hardness as well as smooth texture produced by deoxidizing (deaerating) a yogurt mix, subjecting the deoxidized (deaerated) product to an UHT processing, and then fermenting the resulting product. A process for producing a fermented milk includes a first deoxygenating step for decreasing oxygen concentration in a yogurt mix; a ultra high temperature sterilization step for heating the yogurt mix after the first deoxygenating step for longer than 1 second at higher than 110 degrees Celsius so as to sterilize the yogurt mix; and a fermentation step for fermenting the yogurt mix after the ultra high temperature sterilization step.

1 . A producing method for producing fermented milk, the method comprising:
 a first deoxygenating step for decreasing oxygen concentration in a yogurt mix;   an ultra high temperature sterilization step for heating the yogurt mix after the first deoxygenating step for a duration longer than 1 second at a temperature higher than 110 degrees Celsius so as to sterilize the yogurt mix; and   a fermentation step for fermenting the yogurt mix after the ultra high temperature sterilization step.   
   
   
       2 . The method for producing fermented milk in
 accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the temperature at the ultra high temperature sterilization step is 120 to 140 degrees Celsius, and the duration of the ultra high temperature sterilization step is 1 to 3 seconds.   
   
   
       3 . The method for producing fermented milk in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the temperature at the ultra high temperature sterilization step is 135 to 155 degrees Celsius. 
   
   
       4 . The method for producing fermented milk in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the duration of the ultra high temperature sterilization step is 3 to 5 seconds. 
   
   
       5 . The method for producing fermented milk in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the a temperature at the fermentation step is 40 to 45 degrees Celsius. 
   
   
       6 . The method for producing fermented milk in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the fermented milk is set type yogurt. 
   
   
       7 . The method for producing fermented milk in accordance with the  claim 1 , further comprising a second deoxygenating step for decreasing oxygen concentration in the yogurt mix after the ultra high temperature sterilization step, wherein the fermentation step is performed after the second deoxygenating step. 
   
   
       8 . The method for producing fermented milk in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein the temperature at the fermentation step is 35 to 40 degrees Celsius. 
   
   
       9 . The method for producing fermented milk in accordance with the  claim 7 , wherein the fermented milk is set type yogurt. 
   
   
       10 . Fermented milk produced by the method of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       11 . Fermented milk produced by the method of  claim 2 . 
   
   
       12 . Fermented milk produced by the method of  claim 3 . 
   
   
       13 . Fermented milk produced by the method of  claim 4 . 
   
   
       14 . Fermented milk produced by the method of  claim 5 . 
   
   
       15 . Fermented milk produced by the method of  claim 6 . 
   
   
       16 . Fermented milk produced by the method of  claim 7 . 
   
   
       17 . Fermented milk produced by the method of  claim 8 . 
   
   
       18 . Fermented milk produced by the method of  claim 9 .